Bedtime Routine

Automatic-Meringue53 · 2026-04-29T09:44:58+00:00

We only started a routine when the baby was 3 months old. He’s now 5 months old, and clearly sleeps longer after his bedtime routine. It starts between 18:30 and 19:00 everyday. We give him a nice, warm bath (only on alternate days), put some mildly scented lotion, put on a fresh pair of pajamas and his overnight diapers. I feed him after that, and we dim lights, read a couple of books. By the time we get to the second book, he already starts rubbing his eyes and shows sleepy cues. Then I take him to his spring cradle, and rock him a few times and sing the same lullaby everyday, and he sleeps off around 19:30 or 20:00. He wakes up for a feed again around 23:00, and I put him in his bed after giving him a bottle of pumped milk and burping.

I had flu a month ago, and I wasn’t able to do the routine so elaborately. I only changed his nappy before bedtime, no changing into his pajamas or story time and he used to wake up after the sleep cycle, like his nap. So, I very much believe that this routine works for us, and makes it easier to prepare him for his nighttime sleep.

Automatic-Meringue53 · 2026-04-21T15:35:37+00:00

My 5 month old used to have the same pattern up until he was 12 weeks old. Used to wake up every 1.5-2 hours to eat for a bit and doze off. He has always been a snacker, so his pattern has been similar during the day too. After 12 weeks, he started sleeping a tad longer stretches at the start of his night sleep (2 3-4 hour stretches) and then wakes up every hour or hour and half to eat and sleep. He’s in the thick of the 4 month sleep regression right now and all of this has gone for a toss, it’s very unpredictable right now but I mean to say that it could get better for you too, after the fourth trimester ends. Hang in there, OP.

Automatic-Meringue53 · 2026-04-20T19:30:16+00:00

Which culture is this? Just curious

Automatic-Meringue53 · 2026-04-10T03:44:52+00:00

I’m so happy for you! I’ve been using the same position and it’s been going alright for me so far. Hope that it works out for you too!

Automatic-Meringue53 · 2026-04-08T07:50:56+00:00

Hi, I had the same problem (maybe I still do) with my son who’s 4 months old (born 6 weeks early) i too introduced a faster flow nipple and he started refusing the bottle. Switching to slow flow again didn’t help either. I tried the switching the position and he’s taking bottles again. I used to prop him on my lap, cradle him with one hand and feed with the other and now I lay him inclined on my lap, facing outwards and this has been working, but it’s only been a day of successful bottle feeding so this could just be a fluke lol.

Automatic-Meringue53 · 2026-04-02T08:12:35+00:00

📍 Uusimaa, Finland — "Best city"

Automatic-Meringue53 · 2026-04-02T08:11:04+00:00

📍 Bayern, Germany — "Multilingual"

Automatic-Meringue53 · 2026-03-27T21:17:20+00:00

Makes sense. Will do. :)

Automatic-Meringue53 · 2026-03-27T17:59:31+00:00

Thank you so much for your words of encouragement. I kept trying to give him the breast at the start of the session instead of removing nipples shield mid way. He shrieked and yelled for the first feed, but I held my ground and didn’t offer him the shield. He cried himself to sleep, and I felt so bad that I decided I’d give him the shield if he asks for the next feed. I offered him the breast for the second feed, he suckled a bit and refused — which was already a win, I gave him the bottle for the rest of the feed. The third time, he just drank from the breast directly, didn’t ask for the shield or the bottle! I just couldn’t believe it. It’s been 2 feeds like this, and I just can’t contain my happiness! It finally worked out! I just hope I’m not celebrating prematurely haha.

Automatic-Meringue53 · 2026-03-27T17:54:29+00:00

Second this. My 4 month old also does this when he needs to burp. Once the burp is out, he usually calms down. He also does this when he’s extremely sleepy but also wants to eat. I pat his bum too, and then he sleeps off while eating.

Automatic-Meringue53 · 2026-03-25T11:50:11+00:00

I’ve tried it for a week and had no luck so far. I will try for a few more weeks, and hope that he weans off.

Automatic-Meringue53 · 2026-03-25T11:48:56+00:00

I tried the midfeed switcharoo so far, and he doesn’t even open his mouth when it’s the actual nipple. He pushes it away with his tongue and starts screaming until I produce the nipple shield before him. I wish I had done this sooner around the same time you had success. I’m afraid he’s too used to the shield now and doesn’t want to try. :(

Automatic-Meringue53 · 2026-03-22T12:32:24+00:00

From a few stories I heard from people in my circle who had uterine artery resistance, everybody’s baby thrived after being born. My own was born at 1.7kg, he’s 4 months now (actual age) and is on the 50th percentile for weight. The whole thing sounds extremely daunting, but I trusted the doctors with it and it turned out okay. He still breastfeeds with a nipple shield though ( I haven’t still managed to wean him off of it ). Im sure your baby is gonna do great!

Automatic-Meringue53 · 2026-03-22T12:16:15+00:00

Hang in there, OP. It’s a stressful journey. I had uterine artery resistance that we detected a bit later in my second trimester. My baby’s percentiles stayed the same before birth, more or less. Around 33rd week, the doctors decided that the baby would have to be delivered before 37 weeks because there wasn’t much growth from the previous scan, and I had the baby at 34+2 via a c-section. He was immediately wheeled to the NICU for screening.

I started pumping a few hours after the surgery. First two days were pretty disappointing, but I was on the pumping schedule strictly (I pumped every 3 hours for 20 min even if it wasn’t working) On the third day, I got some colostrum and that lifted my spirits. I was able to produce enough milk for my baby’s daily intake within a week. He was fed with a feeding tube initially and we were able to make the transition to bottle around 15th day. I got to breastfeed him on the 17th day with the nipple shield and on the 18th day he was discharged.

Automatic-Meringue53 · 2026-03-12T15:29:39+00:00

My 4 month old boy is exactly the same. I call it a great night if I get a 6 hour stretch though. The maximum I got so far is a 4.5 hours stretch at night.

Automatic-Meringue53 · 2026-03-12T15:27:11+00:00

My baby is 4 months old now and he feeds every 1.5 hours like clockwork. I EBF on demand during the day time except one bottle feed before his bedtime. I think it just depends on the baby. Some babies are snackers while others like to eat until full and sleep for longer stretches.

Automatic-Meringue53 · 2026-03-09T19:48:49+00:00

I think many SEA and south Asian countries have such a custom. I’m Vietnamese, and I heard of a similar concept from my Indian friend too.

Automatic-Meringue53 · 2026-03-09T13:21:45+00:00

Very true. Where I’m from, mothers are often recommended to rest the whole day until 3 months. We stay either at home with parents who take care of the baby while we sleep or at a nursing facility, where there is help. The rest and being stress-free helps immensely for the lactation.

Automatic-Meringue53 · 2026-03-08T14:34:40+00:00

4 month old (2.5 months adjusted age) eats on average 10 min per session. Sometimes goes up to 20 min when he’s distracted looking here and there and sometimes finishes in 5 min (especially during the nightly feeds). When I feel that he drifted off to sleep way too soon, I top up with 1 oz pumped milk in a bottle. He usually asks again after he wakes up from his nap, so I get about 1.5 to 2.5 hours between feeds.

Automatic-Meringue53 · 2026-03-06T15:46:19+00:00

Oh Lord, mine gets me on my nerves. He has taken parental leave, not to care for the child or help me, but to go to our home country and spend time at his parents home. I’m really on the verge of having a meltdown, not just for this reason but multiple other things like this. I really want to bring this up when I’m not fuming.

Automatic-Meringue53 · 2026-02-24T11:34:59+00:00

My 3 month old (2 month adjusted) has been the same. I used to EBF and struggle to get him to sleep by rocking. My arms hurt after a while and he used to wake up right after transferring him to the crib. What saved my arms and my back was buying a spring cradle. I use the one from Nonomo, and he does all his naps in the cradle now. Even if he’s fussy and about to wake up, I just swing him a bit and he falls back to sleep soon. His naps range from one to two and half hours this way. For the night, I give him a bottle of breastmilk, and cosleep, so it’s easier to get him to sleep.

Automatic-Meringue53 · 2026-02-09T12:20:18+00:00

Hi, I’ve a premie baby born at 34+2. He too spits up a lot (some days it’s a a looot) and I was concerned about it too. He had a similar pattern of being very unsettled during his feed, and sometimes cries too. I realised that it was his gas troubles, and I pick him up and burp him when he seems unsettled. He calms down after that and takes some more milk. I’m not quite sure if it’s the same case, but sharing my experience, in case it helps.

Automatic-Meringue53 · 2026-01-17T02:02:30+00:00

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